Superintendents are entering the job at younger ages today than they did a dozen years ago, according to an annual superintendent salary study released April 1 by AASA, The School Superintendents Association.
In 2012-13, about 30% of superintendents were 41 to 50 years old, and about 20% were 60 or older. By 2024, 34% were 41-50, and only 10% were 60 or older.
"More people appear to be ascending to the superintendent position at an earlier age than over a decade ago," AASA said in an April 1 statement on its 13th annual superintendent salary.
Meanwhile, pay concerns remain.
While the average superintendent salary for 2024-25 increased by around 2% year over year, that's not enough to keep up with inflation. The same issue was highlighted in last year's report.
"Stated another way, over the last decade, superintendent real wages have decreased about $7,000 below where they should be if their salaries were annually adjusted for inflation," the report states.
The median salary for 2024-25 was $158,721, approximately a 1.7% increase since last year. However, the 2024-25 still lags behind the inflation-adjusted median salary from 2013, which is $165,773.
For 2024-25, pay is nearly on par for men and women superintendents, with women earning 99.16% of what men earned.
These findings come amid high turnover rates in the superintendency.
A report released by ILO group in September 2024 found the rate of superintendent turnover remained high, with leadership changes at 1 in 5 school districts among the nation's 500 largest districts.
The ILO research also showed that race and gender barriers continue in the district leadership position, with superintendents skewing more male and White.
However, a high percentage of respondents to the AASA survey — 90% — said they plan to stay in their current district in 2025-26. An even higher percentage — nearly 93% — said they would continue to serve in a superintendency next year no matter the district.
AASA's 2024-25 findings are based on 2,077 respondents across 49 states.
